• Journal of Satellite, Information and Communications
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.8-13
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• 2010

Satellite structure should be designed to accommodate and support safely the payload and equipments necessary for its own missions and to secure satellite and payloads from severe launch environments. The launch environments imposed on satellites are quasi-static accelerations, aerodynamic loads, acoustic loads and shock loads. Especially when optical payload is accommodated, satellite structure usually adopts the optical bench consisting of composite material not only to support and secure but also to guarantee good pointing stability against extreme thermal environments. This paper deals with optical bench and support structure which shall be designed to minimize the loads transferred to optical payloads from satellite.